Biocontrol Science and Technology (2019) 29, 1129-1145

Sixto-Josué Pérez-Campos, Adriana-Inés Rodríguez-Hernández, Ma. del Rocío López-Cuellar, Víctor-Manuel Martínez-Juárez, René Sanjuan-Galindo, Alfredo Alvarez-Navarro and Norberto Chavarría-Hernández (2019)
Liquid culture of the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema colombiense: evolution of the nematode concentration, particles volume fraction, rheological properties and surface tension
Biocontrol Science and Technology 29 (12), 1129-1145
Abstract: The rheological properties and surface tension (s) of culture broths with suspended particles are factors that affect the performance of fermentation processes. This article presents the first report concerning the evolution of suspended particles, rheological properties and s of culture broths during the liquid culture of Steinernema colombiense and its symbiont bacterium, in a medium containing 1.25% (w/v) egg yolk. Cultures started with 1087 infective-juveniles/mL and finished with 53,583 individuals/mL after 10 days. Culture broths were moderately concentrated suspensions with total particles volume fraction in the range 0.08–0.14. The suspended particles were nematodes of different sizes depending on their developmental stage, and egg yolk particles. Rheological properties corresponded to pseudoplastic fluids with flow behaviour index values < 0.3 (dimensionless), greatly determined by the symbiotic bacterium activity. After nematode inoculation, the apparent viscosity values (η_a; Pa s) for the whole culture broth and its supernatants were in the ranges 0.010–0.018 and 0.008–0.015, respectively. Concerning s, their values were in the range 31.22–37.74 mN/m, probably determined by the contents of egg yolk.
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Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
rearing/culturing/mass production

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Steinernema colombiense (entomopathogen)